To mend again
by Flora Jones
Summary: Hermione decides to pay Harry a visit after a huge row with her soon to be ex-boyfriend. They discover what they need the most, and it's not Ron, nor Ginny. How will they deal with this?
1. Chapter 1

**To mend again.**

Harry sat down at the table and sighed heavenly.

Finally alone.

He had been waiting for this all day. Since the moment he came back from office (which he had visited only a few hours in the morning, just to check some paperwork and his memos) and Ginny had been nagging about the colours she wanted to change in the living room ("All this black is so depressing, don't you think, 'Ry?"), he wanted her to disappear. He hated the thought, because he loved her. He did. She was amazing; cooking like a true chef, chatting like an intellectual, discussing Quidditch like a true professional and above all: the sex was amazing. She could kiss him with pure fury and passion, oh GOD how he craved for her touch when he was at Auror missions somewhere in Europe… He had written her tons of letters, he had bought her everything he could think of… And yet, he wasn't satisfied. Why in God's name wasn't he? They were in love. They were twenty-two, they were at the beginning of their lives… But something was missing. He just didn't know what. And he couldn't figure out why he had wanted to be alone so badly.

Suddenly, he heard a noise. The *plop* he had heard, came from the hallway. Ginny couldn't be back already, could she?

'Harry?'

A voice, too familiar to not make him shine of happiness, filled the room and brought colour to the entire place.

'I'm here Hermione!' he replied, 'I'm in the kitchen!'

He stood up quickly and began to search for some butterbeers, just like Sirius used to do when he had owned the place. He loved Grimmauld's. It was a place where he could be himself, where he didn't need to pretend to feel happy when he wasn't. It was like Sirius had reincarnated in the house. It brought him at peace.

He found two bottles and he opened them just when Hermione came in.

'Hermione! It's so good-…'

Harry quitted his sentence when he saw her face. She looked completely devastated. Her eyes were red and swollen, she looked as white as a sheet and her entire body trembled, like she had cried really hard. Why had he missed the noise of concern in her call? Probably because he was just too bloody happy to see her again, after three whole weeks.

'What's wrong?' he asked, concerned.

Hermione had this look in her eyes; something between pure despair and anger. Merlin, again?

'Have you been fighting with Ron?' he asked calmly, trying to be gentle, but as soon as he had spoken these words, she broke down. She clamped onto him and he nearly tripped over while she was smearing his shirt with her tears and mascara.


	2. Chapter 2

It took some time to calm her down, but eventually she seemed feeling good enough to talk. Harry had given her some butterbeer, which had cheered her up and she seemed quite placid while whipping her mascara of her face with the napkin Harry had given her. Harry had never understood why Hermione, this strong, inevitable woman could be transformed into a snivelling hanky by just a few words of his best friend, Ronald Weasley. He had always thought that the sexual tension between them was enough to build a relation on, but clearly "make up sex" hadn't been enough to handle this situation. That was somewhat frightening.

'What happened?' he asked with a frown, watching Hermione blow her nose in the napkin.

'I… Oh, Harry, I don't know. I don't know why it escaladed… Normally it never does, I mean, we have some argues but we never…'

She sighed and fiddled with her napkin.

'I threw a vase at him.'

'A vase?' Harry asked dumbly.

Hermione sighed again.

'Yes. I did. It's just, we had this conversation about his work, and you know I completely support him because he's helping George with the shop… I mean, it's this brother-brother thing which just has to be done, right? And with Fred gone, well… I guess it's just Ron trying to say "I'm sorry", or something like that… But…'

She looked at Harry with a stubborn look in her eyes.

'You know he's trying to become an Auror by doing a part-time study, right? He must have told you…'

'Yes, he did,' Harry replied, 'go on.'

'Well, to be honest, he's neglecting it immensely,' she began, and now it was Harry's turn to sigh.

'Merlin Hermione, you surely haven't said anything about this, have you?'

'I-… I'm his girlfriend, Harry! I just want the best for him!'

Harry laid his head in the palm of his hands and shrugged through his hair, making it even messier than it was before.

'That's right, Hermione. You're his girlfriend. Not his mother.'

'But, Harry! How on earth will he expect to pass his exams when he hasn't actually studied? I mean, the only thing he does is going to the pub, hanging out with you or anyone else for that matter! He just takes whatever distracts him from his study! I want him to become an Auror, Harry, but he's just throwing it away! Every chance the Ministry has given him because of the war will be spilled if he fails!'

Harry couldn't hold back a little smile. Good, old Hermione.

'Why did you throw a vase at him?' he finally asked.

Hermione's face showed a flash of shame, but it turned to a red flush of anger in no time.

'Well, he… I started about his study and how he wasn't doing anything at all, and because he ignored me I got angry and I started to point out that he hadn't cleaned his desk for weeks, even though I _did_ ask him a million times to do so…'

She started to tear the corners of the napkin off.

'And then… Then he shouted at me that he thought it would be best to get a House Elf to do it!'

Harry pushed his hand on his forehead. He loved his friend dearly, and he did agree with him on many, many points, but this was pure thickness. He and Ron both knew very well that Hermione had tried to raise an organisation called S.P.E.W (Society for the Protection of Elfish Welfare), but she had failed miserably because only he, Ron and Neville had joined it: not because they thought it was a good cause, but because Hermione would finally stop nagging them if they did.

'He didn't, did he?' Harry groaned, annoyed by Ron's failing and Hermione nodded in agreement.

'Isn't that AWFUL? He wanted to keep a SLAVE. So I told him what I thought about this slavery and exploitation, and…'

She bulged for a moment because she wanted to say so many in just a few words, but then she let her head down and threw the snipped napkin on the floor. Harry saw her shoulders started shaking again, and he put his arm around her.

'What else did he say?'

Hermione didn't respond. He saw tears streaming down her face: he took them away with his thumbs.

'Hermione…' he said softly, but she didn't dare to look at him. Harry moved his chair next to hers and pulled her close. The moment her head touched his chest, she gave in to all her sadness and cried like he had never see her cry. She grasped onto his shirt, scratching him a bit with her nails, pushed her head as close to his collarbone as she could and flung her legs over his lap. Hermione was now resting on his upper legs and Harry was quite shocked by it. He laid his head on hers, smelling the vanilla shampoo flavour he loved while nuzzling in her hazelnut brown hair. He laid his hands around her hips, feeling her slim body and he had never been this angry at Ron in his entire life. She had never been this hurt, not even when he deserted them while camping in the woods, hiding for Voldemort. What had he done? Hermione was everything to him. She was the one who gave him his first kiss since his mother did at that fatal night in october: it was a peck on the cheek, nothing more, but nonetheless it was very important to him. It was a sign that she would always be there to comfort him. To hug him. To make him feel loved, both physically and mentally. She believed in him, even when Harry couldn't do that himself. Hurting Hermione was like hurting a part of his soul and he would tell Ron how he felt about her, even though he hated arguing with Ron.

He kissed her hair without noticing. It was like repaying her for the kiss at King's Cross at the end of their fourth year. This was his way to comfort her. He kept her against his body, firmly, he stroked and caressed her back and kissed her hair again and again and again, just to show her how much she meant to him. He realized he had never thanked Hermione properly. This was his way of telling her.

Finally she came to her senses. Harry gave her another napkin from the kitchen counter and she laughed through her tears.

'I must look like a right mess,' she said watery, but Harry shook his head.

'You are fine, Hermione. I don't care how you look. You're my friend. My very good friend.'

It made Hermione cry and laugh at the same time.

'Oh, Harry…'

She wiped her face again and went back to sit on her own chair. Her smile said more than a thousand words.

'I just… I don't know if I want to…'

She sighed heavily and looked concerned. Her voice was still trembling and Harry stood up to get her a glass of water.

'I don't want you to hate Ron. He's your best friend. He must remain that way, you know.'

'We'll survive,' Harry promised with a gentle smile while taking water from the tap, 'our friendship survived both the fourth year and the Horcrux hunt. We'll manage, I'm sure.'

He handed her the glass and she thanked him. She sipped at it and for a moment it was peaceful in the kitchen. Like nothing had happened.

'He began to rant about me,' Hermione suddenly said, breaking the lovely moment of silence.

'He said that I was starting to annoy him. He said that he hated my bossiness, my structured thinking, my study models which I had given him that morning to pass his exams, he said he loathed the way I smell in the morning and he disgusts my cooking. He is annoyed that I'm not interested in Quidditch or the joke-shop, he thinks I should stop being so concerned all the time and most importantly, he thinks I'm a bad lover.'

She gulped and wasn't even able to look Harry in the eye.

'He… He said that if I didn't want to give him what he was looking for, that he would go searching for it. He wants me to grow up. He thinks it's a sign of… Of childishness that I'm still into S.P.E.W and he thinks…'

She inhaled deeply.

'He thinks that "I bloody have to sort out my priorities in life" and "stop whining about those bloody parents of yours"… You know my parents, Harry. You _know_ them!'

Harry didn't blink. His face was pure, cold anger. Of course he knew her parents. After finishing the battle of Hogwarts, she went directly to Australia to get her parents back. She finally managed to retrace their memories, but they weren't the people they had been. It wasn't like their personality had changed, or their appearance for that matter. No. They changed in their attitude towards their daughter. They were frightened of her, somehow. They knew she had saved their lives, but now they had experienced magic in this drastic way, they were suspicion. They behaved differently around her. It was very hard for Hermione to deal with this. Her parents were everything to her. Harry understood her like no other. He knew how it was like to live without parents. He knew it. Ron never understood it. He never would.

'And then… Well, I just lost it! I threw the vase at him and I apparated. I think I hit him, Harry! I think I hit him right in his face!'


	3. Chapter 3

Harry wanted to say something to her, but before he could he heard the front door slam.

''Ry! I went to the DIY for some paint! It's beautiful, I bought it right away! Where are-…'

My redheaded girlfriend appeared before me. She had little blushes on her face, probably because of the chilling wind blowing outside.

'Hermione! How nice to see you!'

She hugged her tight and gave her a kiss on every cheek. Hermione smiled politely.

'Hi there Ginny! I just wanted to pay an unexpected visit, I hope you don't mind…'

'Of course I don't, Hermione! Please don't be so silly.'

She friendly patted Hermione's shoulder, but Harry could see the annoyance in his friend's eyes. No one was allowed to call her silly. She wasn't silly in the least.

'And Love! Hi!'

Ginny kissed Harry on the mouth. It was a small, loveable kiss, but Harry felt uncomfortable kissing Ginny in Hermione's present and he felt even more uncomfortable while Ginny was giving him nicknames. It seemed wrong. He quickly cut off the kiss by saying: "I heard you talking about paint, Gin?"

Ginny smiled widely while she put her groceries on the kitchen counter.

'Yes, I bought some. Do you want to see the colour? It's deep, Gryffindor red. I thought it would be wonderful to pay homage to Fred in that way… He loved red!'

She sighed deeply while thinking of her laid brother.

'I miss him so much, 'Ry. I miss him every day!'

'I know,' Harry said bluntly, but Ginny didn't hear the nuance in his voice. Hermione, however, did.

'Why don't you two wait in the living room,' Harry said with a sigh, being quite annoyed by the fact that his private time with Hermione was now over, 'I'll take care of the groceries. Right?'

'You're such a dear!' Ginny warbled in a horrid tone and she hooked her arm around Hermione's while walking away from the kitchen.

'It's so good that Harry _knows_ how it feels, Hermione,' said Ginny seriously, holding her like they were soul mates. Hermione twitched uncomfortably.

'He lost his mom and dad and I lost Fred. We have a lot in common, don't you think?'

Hermione didn't respond, but Ginny wasn't waiting for her answer.

'We can talk days about our deepest and darkest feelings… I can understand him, you know. We have both been possessed by Voldemort! No one else can understand that, it's just the two of us. We both suffered so much and went through so much pain, I don't think _anyone _can understand that because they simply never _had _it! You see? We're bonded already through our history!'

Hermione pushed her nails into the palm of her right hand. On the same arm the words "mudblood" were stigmatised.

'And not only bonded through that… You see…'

Ginny was whispering now and her face was filled with so much excitement, Hermione could swear she'd explode.

'Haven't you noticed? I'm exactly like his mother!'

Her facial expression was pure bliss. Hermione thought she would go sick instantly. She never thought about that, but the idea that Harry would fall for his own mother just made her feel incredibly filthy.

'In looks, I mean… But in heart, I'm exactly like his father… I'm the embodiment of both his parents, Hermione! Isn't that wonderful? I thought about this for ages, of course… But I think it's up to 'Ry to find it out on his own. What do you think Hermione? I do look like Lily, don't I? And I love Quidditch and rule-breaking, just like James did! Our children would be perfect copies of James and Lily! Just think about it, Hermione! Think about it!'

Luckily for Hermione, Harry arrived in the living room just in time before she was able to puke into a giant, black flower pot. The thought of Harry as the father of his own parents just made her want to scream. Harry's parents were irreplaceable, for Merlin's sake! How could Ginny not understand that?


	4. Chapter 4

_Thanks for the lovely reviews! I know my English isn't spot on, but I'll give you my best! - _

'I made tea,' Harry said softly, placing his tray on the coffee table. He sat down in a large, black armchair and took a cup.

'Was I interrupting your conversation?'

'Not at all,' Hermione replied quickly with a certain smile on her face, which only Harry understood.

Ginny thanked Harry for the tea and for a moment is was quiet. Harry wondered what had happened in the living room. Hermione's complexion seemed a bit green.

'So, the living room will be red,' Ginny finally said, when she had finished her tea, 'just like Fred would have wanted.'

She placed her cup back on the tray and looked persistently at Harry.

'It will also remind you of your parents, right 'Ry? Your mother's hair was red-…'

'Wait, what?'

Hermione had interrupted Ginny. She seemed quite shocked.

'What are you going to do to Sirius' living room?'

Ginny smiled, thinking Hermione hadn't heard it.

'I'm going to paint it red. And there will be new furniture. A lot of gold, I think. Red and gold, that should do it.'

'You are going to change the interior of the Black's family home?'

Hermione's eyes seemed to pop out of her head of indignation. Her mouth had the shape of a perfect circle.

'That's right. I don't want the children to grow up in a dark, dodgy place like this!'

Now it was Harry's time to react.

'There will be no children growing up here.'

'Oh, really! Sweetheart, that's lovely! So you _do_ want to remove to Godric's Hollow, next to your parents' house?'

Harry wanted to say that he wasn't thinking about getting children in the slightest, but Ginny didn't let him.

'It's going to be such a _home_ to us, sweetie, you'll see! We'll make it a true Potter-Weasley home! I want little, flower printed curtains, a lot of plants, brown sofa's with fuzzy pillows and a lot of knitted rugs-…'

'Since when have you and Harry moved in together?' Hermione asked, 'I can't remember you or Harry telling me something about it.'

'Oh, that's because we haven't yet!' Ginny smiled. Harry also smiled, but in the contrary he looked more like he had just heard he was forced to snog with a dementor. Hermione ignored insistence to laugh.

'But you are selecting the paint for his godfather's living room?'

Ginny chuckled.

'Harry's taste has never been the best, right? And, well, since Fred spent so many time here, I just thought it would both lighten up the mood in here and remember my dear brother by doing it…'

'Why on _earth_ would you paint the walls red in an remembrance to Fred? He came here on just a few occasions, it's not like he _lived_ here, or something like that!'

Hermione knew she had said too much. Ginny's lower lip started to tremble and tears were building up in her eyes.

'How can you say something like that?' she whispered, looking devastated, 'you don't know how it's like! You have no idea! You never lost anybody! You don't have siblings! How can you possible judge me on that?'

Tears were now streaming down her face and she raised her voice.

'Why in Merlin's name are you dating Ron? He deserves someone with a _heart_!'

She jumped off the couch, threw back her hair in a dramatic way and she ran out of the room. A few seconds later, they heard a door slam.

'Don't!'

Harry raised his hand when Hermione had opened her mouth to teach him a lesson about girlfriends.

'I know what you think. I'm an idiot. And well, maybe I am. Yes, I am still sacrificing my life for the greater good. How can I not? I love the Weasley family with whole my heart, Hermione. Surely you understand that. They do feel like my real family, after all.'

Hermione shook her head.

'They will still accept you as a member of your family if you just refuse to marry their only daughter, Harry. And I think I just realised that I will still be welcome in their house, even if I do break up with Ron.'

Harry thought about this for a moment, but finally nodded.

'Ginny was wrong. You have the biggest heart I know.'

He pulled her close in a tight, loving embrace. He smelt her scent, he kissed her hair, he stroked her back and he realised that if he needed to choose between Ginny and Hermione, he would choose Hermione. Hermione. Her – my – own, he thought.

She – is – mine.


	5. Chapter 5

Harry thought about running after Ginny, grabbing her and making sure she was alright, but then again an inner voice (which sounded like Hermione, obviously) told him not to. Grief was something personal. He would talk in to her later.

Suddenly he wanted to go somewhere private. More private than his house. He wanted to go somewhere where only he and Hermione came. He wanted to mourn because of Sirius, because of Lupin. Because of his mom and dad.

'Are you joining me?'

Hermione knew where he wanted to go. She recognised the look in his eyes. She nodded, entwined her fingers with Harry's and left Grimmauld's place.

The tomb of his mom and dad were still as white as the first time Harry visited it. He took good care of their grave; he had placed flowers, scrubbed the gravestone and placed a bench just a few feet away from the grave, so he could sit down quietly, hearing the birds sing their song and look at the white marble. He never thought or did anything while sitting there. He just sat. And he closed his eyes and listened and enjoyed the sun on his face, or the rain, or the mist, or the snow. When he wanted to clear his mind, he went there and sat down and looked and enjoyed and felt connected.

He never visited the place with Ginny. He knew what she would do: she would jabber away, talking about Fred's grave and his stone, talking about their, according to her, "soon to be new home". He could see the rooftop of the house from the bench. He knew for sure he didn't want to live there. He would be confronted with the smashed house of his parents every day.

Hermione went to the grave as well. Sometimes with Harry, sometimes alone. He would visit the grave and find a coronet of pink or red roses, and he always knew that she had placed them, like the first time they went to see the grave. He never asked why she went, but he knew. She enjoyed the quietness, the peace, as much as he did. And she knew how it was like to lose your parents.

His fingers traced the names of his father. He then kneeled down and kissed the cold stone. He would have felt embarrassed with anyone else watching him, but with Hermione he didn't mind. She kneeled down as well and made a circling movement with her wand. The roses appeared. Harry smiled and entwined his fingers with hers once again. The walked to the bench and sat down. They shut their eyes. And they thought of nothing.

They sat there for more than a quarter. Harry was the first to move. He walked to the grave, petted the tombstone, whispered "goodbye mum and dad" and walked away. He waited at the port for Hermione to arrive. She came some minutes later and they decided to get a drink in "The Troll's cudgel". Hermione ordered two butterbeers.

'It's always nice to visit your mum and dad,' Hermione said, 'it's such a beautiful place over there. It calms me down right away. It was the perfect spot to go.'

She sighed.

'I feel so embarrassed now. I _threw_ a vase at Ron! For just some… Some stupid misconceptions!'

Harry said nothing because he didn't want to burst Hermione's bubble.

'And I'm really sorry for getting Ginny upset, Harry. It wasn't mine intention.'

'I understand,' Harry said, 'I'm glad you did. Someone needed to tell her to back off. I just don't have the guts to do it.'

Hermione laughed playfully.

'I beg your pardon? Harry Potter, the boy who lived, the Chosen One, doesn't have the guts to tell his girlfriend to behave?'

She gave him a light-hearted slap on the arm and Harry chuckled, but felt inconvenient. Hermione caught this in an instant.

'Harry,' she proceeded, 'this is serious. She moved into your house without asking you for permission, am I right?'

The fact that Harry didn't bare to answer was enough.

'Merlin, Harry! She has overtaken your life! Is this why you stopped working in the field? Did Ginny tell you that she thought it was too dangerous for her precious little boy to go out there and do his job as an Auror?'

No sound.

'Harry, please tell me this is a joke. It is a joke, right?'

Nothing.

'You _hate_ paperwork! You loathe it with your life! I thought you did it for the salary at first, but now I… Are you so serious about Ginny?'

Harry had never felt as awkward. Everything she said was true. He couldn't deny it. Yes, he stopped doing fieldwork after a huge row with Ginny; she had cried so much she nearly made the house flood and begged him not to become a Fred as well. So yes, he accepted his job as an office worker. It was boring, there was no variation in his work whatsoever, but Ginny liked it so he did it. Yes, she was moving in with him. He had noticed, of course. It started with bringing some clothes over. Harmless, it seemed. But she began to bring shoes and shawls and jewellery as well, and at one point she started to buy towels and she put her shampoo in the shower. When she brought her family pictures over, he knew it was going wrong. But he couldn't bear the thought of telling her that he wasn't ready for this yet. She wanted this so badly.

Hermione couldn't stand it anymore.

'Harry, for everyone's sake! You deserve better than this forced life!'

'Hermione,' he rasped and looked at her with a broken smile, 'this is how I deal with it, okay? I know it's not the smartest decision and I may be unhappy for the rest of my life, but I don't care. I'm making people happy by leading this life so I will continue leading it.'

Hermione looked like she had been stupefied. For a moment, nothing but unintelligible sounds came from her mouth.

'You can't mean that,' she whispered after a good 10 minutes. The butterbeers had already arrived and Harry nearly drank halve of his before Hermione spoke or moved for that matter.

'You deserve someone who truly loves you for you. You don't… Harry, don't make yourself do this. You suffered enough. It's time for the happy life right now. You need to feel free, to laugh and live your life like you always wanted to! You defeated Voldemort! If there's anyone who deserves a good life, it's _you_, don't you-…'

'It's my fault Fred died,' Harry said snappy and he rose from his chair.

'Make sure you and Ron talk it over, alright?'

Then he left, feeling completely numb.


	6. Chapter 6

_I'm really sorry for the delayed update! But I had a national festivity to take care of this weekend (it's called "Sinterklaas". "Santa Clause" was based on him. He is a saint and gives presents to all the little children. Grownups buy presents for each other, so I had a lovely weekend ^^ It's basically an early Christmas). I hope you can understand that :) Please Read and Review! What would you like to see next? I'd love to hear! Please tell me as well in which way I can improve myself. Thanks for reading this story!_

'I'm sorry I didn't chase after you, Gin. I really am.'

'It's alright,' Ginny sighed, snuggling up his chest and smelling his scent even more while pulling the blankets closer to them.

'Hermione is your friend, after all. She has been through a lot as well. I shouldn't have shouted at her.'

'You're grieving,' Harry said, kissing her temple, 'it's normal to snap. I used to snap at everyone, twenty-four hours a day, at Hogwarts. Remember?'

Ginny chuckled.

'Yes, I sure do.'

'It's not too bad anymore, is it?' Harry asked.

Ginny laid her head on his collarbone, mumbling something like "I love you", so he guessed it wasn't.

'Harry?' Ginny asked, after several moments of silence, 'Harry, let's not paint the living room red. Let's not paint it at all. Let's move out of here. Together.'

'Together?' Harry repeated, not fully aware of what he was saying because he was half asleep.

'Yes, Harry! Let's make it official. Why not? We both love each other, right?'

'Right,' Harry replied now fully awake (just like Ginny), feeling very insecure about what he was saying.

'We need each other, right?'

'Right,' Harry said with a trembling voice.

'Well, it's obvious what to do then, isn't it?'

'Isn't it?'

'Marry, Harry! For Merlin's sake, _ask_ me! _Propose_ me!'

'Propose you?'

Harry's stomach seemed to freeze. He felt the feeling freezing his arms, his legs, his chest and at last his facial expression.

'Isn't that a bit too early?' he managed to ask in a much higher voice than he would normally do. Ginny sat up straight, looking more excited than ever.

'Yes, yes I know it's early… But we're both very mature for our age, aren't we? Because of all that we've been through… We fit perfectly Harry, don't you get it?'

She laid her arms around Harry's neck and kissed him with passion. He felt her tongue pushing through his lips and she rolled on top of him, grabbing his hair and touching his bare nipples. He couldn't do anything. He was too shocked.

'Let's have sex to celebrate,' she moaned in his ear, lifting her shirt above her head.

Harry didn't fought it, nor did he co-operated. She just rode him off and they didn't speak a word.

'Mister Potter?'

'Yes, Samantha?'

'Someone to see you.'

'Alright.'

A woman with brown, bushy hair and hazelnut brown eyes stepped into his office.

'Had a though night?'

Harry couldn't help but smile as wide as he could, though Ginny's request kept nagging him.

'You could say that, yes. Come, sit down Hermione.'

Hermione smiled sweetly and sat on a wooden chair in front of his desk. The chair that was mostly occupied by job applicants.

'So, you and Ginny made up?' Hermione asked, without mentioning the row they had had not even a day ago.

'Yes… Merlin, yes, we did… Oh…'

Harry wanted to control himself, but he couldn't.

'You _need_ to help me, Hermione! Forget about what I said about being a friend, you're my _best_ friend. I need you desperately Hermione, please, PLEASE, I beg you with my whole being…'

'Whoa, calm down!' Hermione said, slightly overwhelmed, 'what on earth's name happened?'

'Ginnywantsmetomarryher!' Harry wailed, grabbing his hair out of despair.

'I didn't catch that-…'

'GINNY WANT TO MARRY ME. She wants me to purpose her! She wants this big Weasley-wedding and MERLIN I'm not ready for it and she forced me to have sex last night, I couldn't resist because she was just, you know, suffocating me because she was on top of me and SHE WANTS TO MARRY ME. Hermione, please, I don't know what do! I didn't dare to say anything, so I guess she thinks… I…'

'What?' Hermione asked, full of disbelief.

'Ginny and I are getting married.' He whispered it, he didn't want to hurt her.

'Please don't kill me.'


	7. Chapter 7

_Hi guys!_

_I'm really, REALLY sorry for the late update, but I was really busy ^^ I hope you like this chapter. Please Read and Review, it will only encourage me to write some more!_

Hermione sighed and rubbed her face with the palm of her hands.

'Come on, Harry. Let's go somewhere and talk it over.'

When Harry opened his eyes and his hand left Hermione's, they stood in front of his old house. Harry gulped at the sight of it.

'Do we have to be here, Hermione?' he asked, and she nodded.

'Yes, we have to. I need to get some sense into you. Have you ever been inside it?'

'No,' Harry answered softly. He didn't want to go in there. Not because he was afraid that it would collapse, which it would, he reckoned, but he was afraid of all the memories.

'This will be your first time then,' Hermione said, while she jumped over the fence.

Harry didn't move a muscle. He just stared at his former house. He looked at the ruin. Somewhere, inside that building, stood his little crib. There were stuffed animals, for sure. Books they had read to him. Photo albums, maybe. Their bedroom: the place he was born. It was a place full of love he had never fully witnessed because of his aunt and uncle. It would be so painful to see. Why would he go through it? Why would he?

'Please Harry, do join me. Before someone sees us. I do this for you, remember. I do this for you and your mom and dad.'

She was concerned for him. She didn't understand.

'Harry… Do you trust me?'

Her hazel eyes met his. They were begging him.

'Of course I do, how on earth would you think that I didn't trust you?'

She smiled. It was a nice, gentle smile.

'Are you loyal to me?'

She put out her arm. The sleeve of her shirt drew back, so he could read her scar. She reached for his hand.

'More than loyal,' he whispered.

'Join me, if you are.'

He couldn't deny her. Not even if he had wanted to. He jumped over the fence.

Suddenly, he was in their garden. He saw rotten, wooden fences which were originally there to divide the big kitchen garden. He could see decayed signs with "carrots" and "radishes" and "strawberries". There was a big apple tree, but it was overgrown with ivy. The grass was unbelievably high: it reached above his knees, while other spots had no grass at all: it was incredibly muddy. Molehills popped up from every spot. Hermione laid her hand in his: she guided him to the front door.

But, there was no front door. Oh, well, there was, but it lay in the hall, shattered in little pieces. He quivered, but Hermione squeezed his hand soothing.

They stepped into the hall. When his parents died, nature had moved in. All sorts of plants grew on the walls. Rabbit turd was all over the place. He heard the sound of mice or rat. The mirror, that hang on Harry's left side, was crashed and there was mildew on it.

'I don't want to go further,' Harry said firmly. His stomach didn't feel so well. He wanted to leave. The house stank. There were animals living in it. For some reason he couldn't help but hear the scream of his mother, torturing him, making him feel miserable to the bone. He couldn't imagine that his parents had lived here. There was no sign of them. This broken mirror could have belonged to anyone. And why would he be in the house of a stranger?

Hermione had walked past him. She was studying something that hang on the wall.

'Before you leave, come over here,' she said, while tracing something with her finger.

'I wish to leave immediately.'

'First see this.'

Harry sighed, but came over to her. He saw a moving picture. It was a picture from him, when he was little. His father held him tight while his mother fiddled with his hair.

His inside became weak. He had never seen this picture.

'Shall we remove it?' he heard Hermione ask him.

He could do nothing but nod. Soon he held the picture frame in his hands. It was not filthy. It was beautiful. He traced the glass with his fingers, he smiled sadly but happily. He looked while his mother kissed his father on the cheek. They laughed. Little Harry laughed. Big Harry laughed. The screaming of his mother faded. He could only hear her tingling laughter. Could he remember her laugh, or did he just make it up? It sounded quite familiar. He held this precious sound in his head as he felt himself better and better.

'It's a beautiful picture,' Hermione said, 'shall we continue?'

_What do you think about Harry and Hermione visiting Harry's old house? Please let me know! Xx Flora._


End file.
